Sitting Up For Solids

Around six months, babies are developmentally ready to begin eating food with their family.

They can sit in an upright position, which reduces the risk of choking.

They have lost the tongue-thrust reflex, which pushes food and other foreign objects from the mouth in the first 4-6 months

They have both of the above and are also showing interest in and reaching for the foods others are eating.

Transitioning to family foods is not a competition. It occurs over several months and the first few weeks are mostly about exposure and experience.

You'll know successful swallowing is happening when bowel motions begin to change. It's often around 9-10 months that babies begin to eat meals. By 12 months, most children will be eating 3 meals each day, plus snacks and drinking water from a cup.

Breastfed children will continue to have feeds multiple times each day and will regulate their intake of milk and food.

Formula fed babies should graduate to a cup between 9-12 months and cease bottles altogether by one year. Toddler formula is unnecessary and often sweetened to appeal to fussy eaters. Dairy foods can be part of their diet, with water to drink. Weaning from bottle feeds is important for dental health and nutrition. Bottles of milk can suppress toddlers appetite for family foods.

The experience of learning eating skills and enjoying a range of minimally processed whole foods is the focus between 6-12 months, with breastmilk the main source of nutrition for this age group.